COMPLETELY FREE stuff to do in Aberdeen this Week! (April 18th - 25th)

• Tues 22^nd Café Controversial  7pm Satrosphere Science Centre, FREE, NO NEED TO BOOK

GM crops: Raking up the facts  with Professor Howard Davies James Hutton Institute. Come and discuss the science behind the GM crop headlines. Always plenty of opportunity to ask questions at these events (and this should be a great debate!)

• 23rd April - Lunchtime talk! 30 YEARS OF ABERDEEN MARITIME MUSEUM 

John Edwards 12.30-1pm  Booking essential call 01224 337714 

• Wed 23^rd Café Scientifique 7pm Waterstones Union Bridge, FREE, NO NEED TO BOOK

Seeing into old age – Dr Karin Pilz School of Psychology University of Aberdeen – vision often worsens with age but is it the eyes always to blame? Come and discuss the role of the brain in vision-related changes during healthy aging. 

• Thurs 24th - Skeptics in the Pub  - Aberdeen's Witchcraft Trials - 7.30 pm - Cellar 35 

Aberdeen had witches?! Whaaat! And witchcraft trials??! Whaat! This talk is free (in a cellar), there's no need to book - just turn up and there will be  drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic available to purchase. 

• (NOT FREE) Thurs 24th - VIKINGS LIVE! From the British Museum - 7.00 pm - Cineworld Aberdeen

An exclusive, expertly guided tour of the British Museum's new blockbuster Vikings exhibition. Featuring BIG SHIPS and insight into how these great warriors shaped our modern lives. Also featuring Professor Neil Price from the University of Aberdeen. 

• Thurs 24th - LECTURE - Universal Access to New Essential Medicines - 7pm - Kings Conference Centre, Old Aberdeen. 

The Inaugural Jim Petrie Lecture, delivered by Professor Hans Hogerzeil. Organised by the Medico-Chirurgical Society. Free but you can book places by email or phone 01224 437104.

Not interested in a talk? Why not visit Aberdeen Maritime Museum, the Cruickshank Botanic Gardens or Duthie Park (all COMPLETELY FREE)! 

And if you don't even want to leave your house you can check out virtual exhibitions in Aberdeen too! 

The George Shepherd Pharmaceutical Collection consists of a virtually complete Victorian pharmacy interior and business archive unique in the UK (the LEECHES jar looks very similar to lots of the storage tins in John Lewis...) . The collection was donated to Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums by George Shepherd, one of the last directors of the successful Aberdeen pharmacy business Davidson & Kay. You can view all the images online! 

Booking for the May Festival 2014 is now open. Get tickets now for things like BRIGHT CLUB 2014 (where researchers do comedy) and check out all the MAY-HEM events coming up! 

Seen any other interesting events that I haven't mentioned? Email me!

Interested in keeping up to date? Subscribe to this blog here by entering your email in the box on the right of the screen! 

(mostly) FREE stuff to do in Aberdeen this week (April 10-17th) !

• A talk about Fungi (TONIGHT) 7.30 pm Zoology Lecture Theatre Tillydrone Avenue ABERDEEN

This talk introduces the diversity of the kingdom of the fungi and explains how these extraordinary organisms are functioning all around us.By turn fascinating or feared; hopefully you will leave thinking the fungi more friend than foe.

• Simon Singh is here this weekend for an event with Aberdeen Skeptics in the Pub and British Science Association (but unfortunately this event is sold out already)

• Visit the Mission Possible Exhibition at Satrosphere (EVERYDAY!)

You might normally associate biology with how your heart works, or with the creepy crawlies found at the bottom of your garden but this exhibition explains how biology is related to our everyday lives through agriculture, biotechnology, our food and our well-being. There's a picture of a Highland cow too so it must be good.

• CafeMED Monday 6pm is All about how we use blood donations (where do they go?) FREE 6pm Suttie Centre 

It's 100 years sience the first blood transfusion. With over two million blood donations in the UK last year alone, we'll discuss what happens to donated blood and the pros and cons of transfusion. With Professor Mark Vickers and Dr Henry Watson. Cafe MED is a short talk followed by a Q&A there are refreshments available.

Booking for the May Festival 2014 is now open. Get tickets now for things like BRIGHT CLUB 2014 (where researchers do comedy) and check out all the MAY-HEM events coming up! 

Not interested in a talk? Why not visit Aberdeen Maritime Museum, the Cruickshank Botanic Gardens or Duthie Park (all COMPLETELY FREE)! 

Seen any other interesting events that I haven't mentioned? Email me!

Interested in keeping up to date? Subscribe to this blog here by entering your email in the box on the right of the screen! 

Easter Inspiration - Visit the Mission Possible Exhibition in Aberdeen

This month is your very last chance to visit an exclusive exhibition in Aberdeen all about how biology effects our lives, and its future applications, at Satrosphere Science Centre.

You might normally associate biology with how your heart works, or with the creepy crawlies found at the bottom of your garden but this exhibition explains how biology is related to our everyday lives through agriculture, biotechnology, our food and our well-being. There's a picture of a Highland cow too so it must be good.

MISSION POSSIBLE  is currently touring Europe and flew in to Aberdeen in November. It will not be visiting anywhere else in the UK anytime soon so you should visit it while it is right here in Aberdeen. The exhibition is super interactive, with games and touch screens and it features displays created by researchers here in Aberdeen including some amazing microscopic images.

The exhibition challenges you to think about how difficult decisions are made, such as how fishing quotas are decided. It also looks at the complexities of our day to day needs such as where your food comes from in "You are What you Eat" which looks at the food miles, calories and CO2 emissions of everyday food.

You can also learn about the history of scientific breakthroughs in Scotland and how researchers today are trying to make Scotland, and the world, a better place to live.

The exhibition alone is worth a visit but there are also lots of events and activities taking place throughout the Easter holidays at Satrosphere which are based on the contents of the exhibition including Science Club (suitable for ages 6+).

The Cafe Controversial talk series is also running alongside the exhibition.  The next event is on the 22nd of April (the very last day of the exhibition) and Professor Howard Davis from the James Hutton Institute will be discussing GM Crops and the place GM crops have in modern agriculture. All Cafe Controversial events are free to attend, and you just turn up ready for the talk to start at  7pm in the Satrosphere Cafe (they make excellent cakes too!).

Mission Possible is organised by the BIOPROM project consortium aimed at bringing together experts who work with or on new concepts for communicating bioeconomy research to the public from both regional and global sources. From November 2013 to April 2014 the project will focus on Aberdeen, communicating research through the Satrosphere exhibition in partnership with the University of Aberdeen. For more information on the consortium please visit www.bioprom-net.eu. To keep updated with the exhibition in Aberdeen and all events, follow @BIOPROMabdn on twitter.